Semi-Buffet Weekday Lunch at 208 Duecento Otto

That pizza, though and especially at a weekday buffet

If you've ever tried to find a restaurant in Hong Kong for a good value weekday lunch, you'll know that it can be overwhelming, thanks to the sheer number of venues offering their "weekday set lunch" promotions. Thankfully, I stumbled upon a great weekday lunch the other day in Sheung Wan.

208 Duecento Otto is a modern restaurant with a rustic and laid-back feel that exudes itself as a place to go for a casual dining experience on the main floor, but also as an excellent choice for a slightly more fancy dinner or intimate brunch with friends in their upstairs dining area. Combined with their attentive and friendly staff, there's lots to love about 208.

Antipasti Buffet

To start your lunch off there is an antipasti buffet served at the bar for only $108, and you're able to help yourself to as many servings as you'd like. There was an assortment of salads (leafy greens, tomatoes, and octopus), roasted peppers and vegetables, focaccia bread, and cured meats.

Most of the items at the buffet were very tasty - the focaccia bread and cured meats are highly recommended, and the semi-roasted cherry tomatoes were deeelish! Unfortunately, some of the items were also a bit of a miss - the roasted pumpkin and the tomato salad didn't have much flavour. Overall, though, the food did taste fresh and they were quick to refill the plates.

Mains

For an extra $20 you can add a pasta dish or an extra $30 for a pizza (including the antipasti buffet). Since that was a steal compared to the a la carte pricing and I'd heard that their pizza was some of the best in Hong Kong, we decided to try both a pasta dish and a pizza.

We ordered the pappardelle Wagyu bolognese and the diavola pizza (mozzarella, spicy salami, chilli). The bolognese came out first and, though it looked tasty, was not memorable. The sauce wasn't rich and you could barely taste the flavour of the Wagyu. This was pretty disappointing, especially considering our waitress had recommended the dish.

Thankfully, the pizza saved the day. The taste of the pizza more than made up for its rather plain appearance - the ingredients were obviously of high-quality and were very fresh.

Verdict

This weekday lunch buffet comes highly recommended if you've been wanting to try their pizzas, but aren't too keen on paying their a la carte prices. We’re a bit torn if it's really worth it to go solely for the buffet and/or pasta. Overall, the atmosphere is a huge thumbs up and (if you're willing to take a chance on the food being hit or miss) it's a good option for a weekday brunch when in Sheung Wan.